Hmmm...in most articles on our website which introduces a content section, the article has focused on setting a tone for the overarching ideas & themes a given section will cover. In this case, current events in the industry have compelled commentary which, though we could have simply ignored and placed focus on our content elsewhere, the substance of the events and decisions made by certain luxury label ultimately sets the tone for a lot of the topics we'll cover down the line, and as such we will jump into the deep end on this one :/

Those who check the pulse of the fashion industry on a regular basis are aware that luxury label Balenciaga has come under significant scrutiny for a recent marketing campaign promoted on various advertising mediums. Based on a statement from their Instagram feed, a marketing campaign which placed children in a sensitive & exploitative context became the focal point. From their statement, the campaign "...featured children with plush bear bags dressed in what some have labelled BDSM-inspired outfits. Our plush bear bags and the gift collection should not have been featured with children". This situation has drawn A LOT of universal criticism which was further aggravated in regard to their statement, by a reference to United States Supreme Court rulings regarding the topics of freedom of speech in the context of child pornography. At the end of the statement, "Balenciaga reiterates its sincere apologies for the offense we have caused and extends its apologies to talents and partners"

(Editorial Note: While it is our common practice to link source content and other context in reference to fashion labels and brands, we have elected to not do so in accordance with our Content & Editorial Policies, specifically as it relates to the promotion of brands that compromise the physical and emotional safety of children and minors. Given they are a global brand and that this event has been reported on many news outlets, it should be relatively easy at time of writing to find the full statement through a reader's own means) 

In regard to the brand itself, it has a celebrity following and there's a lot of reeling back in light of this event...with a specific reaction to be referenced later.

As with a lot of bad, or at best questionable decisions made by organizations even outside the fashion industry, the manner in which such an organization reacts will be a bigger indicator than any immediate actions or statements. The item of immediate note was the statements apology to "talents and partners" over the consumers and supporters of the brand...as a matter of fact there was no reference to any external, downstream group whatsoever; and while not coming to any conclusions around whether or not there are specific references, the nature and wording of the statement itself says a lot about the industry generally and the manner in which premium and luxury brands insulate themselves from a broader audience.

In terms of celebrity reaction, the response by Kim Kardashian, someone who's been an impactful steward for the label has replied to the controversy via Twitter:

(The block below represents the first of a 3-tweet string)

...and given the environment of Twitter generally, Twitter's gonna Twitter...

Without going into the specific detail of any given response, there are a lot of themes around the difference of words against actions and whether or not Balenciaga's actions will change anything...the fact that Kim Kardashian is a mother...and the general nature of the money against morals, among other reactions.

By no means is this either an admonishment of nor an endorsement for the substance and context of Kim Kardashian's statement. In an attempt to look at the position she's in with an empathetic lens, it seems most fair to say that there's at minimum two entities at work; Kim Kardashian the human being, and Kim Kardashian the business organization.

As a human, and as a mother, it's probably a reasonable conclusion that those responsible for children would express concern over the imagery implemented by the Balenciaga campaign. In a lot of viewpoints, it was gross, inappropriate, and exploitative...there's really nothing more to say in that regard.

As a business organization, however, it makes sense to take a more stoic approach, make an informed decision for the sake of business continuity, and not act rash or strictly out of emotion. Given multiple business ventures at work, from the SKIMS line, to the numerous brand ambassadorships, it would make sense that the work of managing these various projects usually downflow to employment of numerous people and the diversity of access to resources; things that ultimately contribute to economies and markets at scale. Honestly, to not make a snap decision on anything, regardless of it's egregiousness, should yield empathy and respect.

Even with a generally neutral to negative reception, who knows how the whole thing will go down? While repulsive to a lot of society, the fact that such a campaign released means that, at the very least, the imagery within a certain scope is accepted by a subset of people. It's probably not a good bet to say that Balenciaga will cease business operations by the end of 2023 (though many brands have gone out of business so far in the 21st century), but there should be curiosity around their presence at events like New York Fashion Week...and it will also be interesting to see the brand's presence among celebrities in the coming year.

All that being said, there are plenty of fashion reporters & bloggers that will keep an eye on things. In all honesty, we're not that interested.